


Footprints

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Category: Burn Notice, Firefly
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-31
Updated: 2010-03-31
Packaged: 2017-10-08 13:41:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River Tam walks into a bar and meets Michael Westen</p>
            </blockquote>





	Footprints

River Tam strolled in the bar, pushing aside the wooden saloon doors. It amused her that they were the entrance to this Miami watering hole, just as they would have been on the saloons of the Wild West, and would be on so many bars in the future on the newly colonised planets.

Earth-that-was was both very different and yet so very much the same. She took a deep breath, smelling beer, and sweat, and chlorine from the pool outside, and the freshly cut lime wedges that sat on the polished bartop. She looked around and spotted Michael Westen.

He was tall, tanned, dark hair worn sort. His aviator sunglasses were still on, though he sat by the bar top. A scar marked one cheek. He was carrying, River knew, the weapon concealed beneath the check shirt, tucked into the waistband of his expensive jeans. Above him, the lazy thrum of a fan sounded as the wooden blades cut through the air.

River walked directly to the bartender.

"Soda with lime over ice," she requested.

Michael glanced at her, assessed her. Not a threat. He returned to looking casually at the back door, where giggles from the poolside and splashing could be heard. A cold beer, condensation running down the glass, sat untouched in front of him.

The bartender served River the drink.

"My name is River Tam," she said, looking at Michael, but watching in the reflection from the window behind him the rest of the bar.

"That's nice," he replied neutrally.

"You are Michael Westen."

That got his attention.

"Did Alonzo send you?" He sounded sceptical, as well he might.

"No. Alonzo sent these men." River ducked, kicked out, followed through with a punch. The man creeping up behind her was quickly rendered unconscious. A second man attacked Michael, who was already on his feet and striking out. Michael soon had the man in a chokehold. He disarmed him, then bounded his attacker's head off the bartop for good measure.

"We should leave," River said, and headed for the pool. Michael followed her.

"Fiona Glenanne is stuck in traffic," River told him. "If I had not been there in her place, things would have gone badly for you, Michael Westen. Even the best soldier can be caught off-guard. And you are more important than you know. You need to survive. You have a mission that will play a key part in the future of this planet's inhabitants."

"I'm going to save the world?" Michael asked.

"No. But you will help keep the technology needed to escape Earth safe from destruction. If you fail, space travel will be put back decades and lives will be lost. I only tell you this so that you believe me when I tell you one last thing before I have to return to my own time and place. Do not trust Edward Velan. Do you understand?"

They'd left the bar by the gate in the back fence and were now walking along the white sands of the Miami shoreline.

"I think you're insane, but in this business, who isn't? Edward Velan. Do not trust. That bit I got." Michael tipped his glasses to get a better look at her. "Who are you, River Tam?"

"Someone who doesn't belong here. Good luck, Michael Westen."

"Michael!"

He turned to see Fiona sprinting along the sand towards him, dishevelled in her haste. He turned back to introduce River to Fiona, but his mysterious assistant had mysteriously vanished. He crouched down and ran the sand through his fingers. Spies had training in how to be stealthy, but he'd never before encountered anyone who could slip away without even leaving footprints in the sand.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd forgotten I'd signed up for this challenge and wrote this fanfic in about twenty minutes, so excuse any roughness. I hope you enjoyed reading it anyway :)


End file.
